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Job Description for Senior ASIC Engineer

A senior ASIC engineer is responsible for designing, developing, and creating ASICs. An ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) is a computer microchip or circuit meant for use in a specific field of programming and technology. Senior ASIC engineers are at the helm of crafting and creating these building blocks of today's engineering world.

While specific duties and responsibilities vary greatly based on the type of company, senior ASIC engineers typically see an ASIC through from the early stages of design to the actual creation of the chip in tangible silicon. The senior engineer may be given a particular problem to solve, or a requirement the ASIC must fill, and it is then up to them to use logic and design skills to craft a computer-aided illustration, or blueprint, of the chip's design.

At the senior level, many ASIC engineers will not only design chips, but also put them through the full stages of implementation, from troubleshooting of the design to the chip's physical creation; sometimes, post-production maintenance and/or updates to the chip will be necessary.

Most senior ASIC engineers spend their time in indoor, computer-based environments. They work with illustration and CAD-type software, drawing and working with three-dimensional illustrations and schematics of their designs. Much of the work may be solitary, although this depends greatly on the type of ASIC being designed and the company for which the engineer works. For example, a massive pharmaceutical company producing large machines for government use may put large teams of designers onto single machines, or even single chips, thus creating a need for teams of designers to work together. In such cases, however, the senior engineer will typically have the most experience and/or education and be in charge of the design.

ASIC engineers usually enter the field with a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering. In many markets, a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering or a related field (such as Computer Programming) is also preferred.